NEWS
2025.03.05
SSS #11: ASEAN-JAPAN Brunei Research Report
Seijo University’s International Research Center for Sports and Gender Equality (SGE) operates the YouTube channel "Sport for Social Solutions (SSS). " This channel highlights sports as a platform for addressing social issues, featuring a wide range of guests including experts, government officials, and athletes to share information and exchange ideas.
Seijo University’s International Research Center for Sports and Gender Equality YouTube Channel:
SSS #11: ASEAN-JAPAN Brunei Research Report
A six-hour direct flight from Narita Airport, Brunei is a small but resource-rich country surrounded by Malaysia on three sides. Despite its size—comparable to Japan’s Mie Prefecture — Brunei enjoys vast natural wealth. It is the only absolute monarchy in Southeast Asia and designates Islam as its official state religion. But what does sports participation look like in this unique nation?
As part of a Japan Sports Agency initiative, SGE leads the "ASEAN-JAPAN Actions on Sport: Gender Equality" project, where Japan and the governments of 10 ASEAN countries collaborate to promote gender equality through sports. A key component of this project is a research initiative launched in 2023 to identify challenges and needs related to women’s and girls’ sports participation across Japan and ASEAN countries.
Brunei is the fifth country included in this research. In this episode, SGE postdoctoral researcher Yu Furuta interviews Yushi Miyazawa, who visited Brunei, to explore the realities of women’s sports participation and how religion influences sports in the country.
Reports from previously researched countries:
Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Cambodia
What kind of country is Brunei?
Brunei remains relatively unfamiliar to many in Japan. It is an absolute monarchy where the Sultan serves as both head of state and prime minister. Additionally, it is a strict Islamic country with Islam as its official religion. Yushi, who visited Brunei, noted that these characteristics are visible in everyday life. For example, no buildings in the country are taller than a mosque, and shopping malls are absent, meaning that foreign retail chains—common in other Southeast Asian countries—are rarely seen.
Yushi also observed that many businesses, from airlines and coffee shops to gyms, are owned by the Sultan. Thanks to the country’s wealth from the oil industry, citizens pay very little in taxes, a unique feature of Brunei’s economic structure.
Sports Participation and Religious Influence
When Yu asked Yushi about the sports landscape in Brunei, he shared insights gathered from interviews. One key characteristic is the clear gender division in sports—men primarily play football, while women mostly participate in netball. Yushi noted, "Women have fewer opportunities to engage in sports, and their options are limited." However, he also highlighted that men face similar restrictions, as they are excluded from sports traditionally associated with women. This reveals a rigid gender-based division in sports participation in Brunei.
Religious beliefs play a crucial role in shaping these restrictions. While men’s football is popular, women’s football does not exist in Brunei. The country operates under a dual legal system: civil law and the Sharia Penal Code, which is interpreted through fatwas (religious rulings). According to these interpretations, football is deemed inappropriate for women due to the physical contact and exposure involved, and this restriction is explicitly stated in Brunei's Sharia law.
Influence of Religion on Sports Participation?
| In Brunei, both general laws and Sharia law, based on Islamic teachings, are applied. Sharia law primarily applies to Muslims. |
| Fatwa A religious judgment or interpretation provided by Islamic legal scholars. Fatwas serve as specific guidelines for interpreting and applying Sharia law. |
| In accordance with Sharia law and Fatwa, female football players are not officially registered in Brunei. |
This deep entanglement of sports participation with religious principles is a defining aspect of Brunei’s sports culture. However in Islam, men and women are not considered to have a hierarchical relationship but rather a "difference in roles." Many interviewees emphasized this perspective, highlighting the need to consider Brunei’s religious and cultural background when discussing gender equality in sports.
Promotion of Lifelong Sports
Yushi also reflected on Brunei’s approach to sports development. "The concept of 'Sport for All' is well established, and grassroots sports are widely practiced. In the evenings, many people jog along wide sidewalks, including women running alone. However, I got the impression that there is less emphasis on competitive sports," he noted.
While most women’s sports take place indoors, there are numerous public spaces for exercise, and the culture of sports for health is deeply ingrained. Additionally, Brunei’s National Olympic Committee and sports federations, which manage competitive sports, are largely run by volunteers—further reflecting the government’s focus on grassroots participation.
Finally, Yushi reflected on the research conducted in Brunei – a country with a distinctive social structure and a national religion, "It's not about saying that women's soccer should exist or that its absence is problematic. The key is to identify what sports they want to engage in and what challenges need to be addressed before moving forward with this initiative." He emphasized the importance of an approach tailored to each country's context.
Yu added, "One of the strengths of ASEAN countries is their proximity to one another, which allows them to understand that they share similar challenges. This enables them to exchange information on successful initiatives and best practices." Reaffirming the collective strength of ASEAN nations as they progress together through this project.
